UEFA unveils new adidas ball for 2026-27 Champions League

UEFA has revealed the new adidas football that will be used during the 2026-27 Champions League season, with a design dominated by white and blue.

The new ball was presented ahead of the competition’s main-round draw, which will take place on Thursday. It will be used throughout next season’s tournament and marks the latest design to be introduced for Europe’s leading club competition.

The 2026-27 campaign will be the third season played under the Champions League’s new format. Instead of being divided into separate groups, the competition will consist of one league comprising 36 teams.

Under the system, each club will play eight matches in the league phase. Four of those games will be at home and four will be away, meaning every team will face eight different opponents across the opening stage.

The final league standings will determine which clubs progress directly to the knockout rounds and which must take part in a play-off.

The teams finishing in the top eight positions will qualify automatically for the last 16. Clubs ranked from ninth to 24th will enter a play-off, with those ties deciding the remaining places in the next round.

Teams that finish between 25th and 36th will be eliminated from European competition. Unlike under the previous system, they will not transfer to the Europa League.

The draw on Thursday will therefore establish the league-stage fixtures for the 2026-27 Champions League and set the path for every team competing under the format for its third season.

The new adidas ball combines the traditional white base with blue elements, providing the visual identity for a campaign that will again use a single 36-team league rather than the former group-stage structure.

The changes mean that a team’s position after its eight league matches will be crucial. A top-eight finish will secure an immediate place in the last 16, while positions from ninth through 24th will require clubs to negotiate an additional play-off before they can reach the next round.

For those placed from 25th to 36th, the campaign will end once the league stage is complete. There will be no opportunity to continue in the Europa League, ending the route that was available to teams finishing lower down under the previous format.

UEFA’s unveiling of the white-and-blue adidas ball comes as preparations continue for the new season, with Thursday’s draw set to confirm the opening-round schedule for the 36 participating clubs.